Past Forgotten
by Sacred Miko Hime
Summary: When Shippo discovers a small gem by a river, he has no idea of the events that will unfold. While the others are searching for the mysterious owner of the stone, he and Kagome stumble upon Japan's greatest bandits...and a new adventure.
1. Prologue

"Inuyashaaaa…"

**This popped into my head at…11…12…1:00 in the morning while I was trying to go to sleep. Stupid brain that wouldn't shut off when it was supposed to. Well, this is my first draft, so it will probably be replaced with a slightly better version a little later lol. **

--

"Inuyashaaaa…"

The silver haired hanyou froze, his ranting immediately forgotten. He was in for it now.

"Sit boy!"

Shippo snickered as a new Inuyasha-shaped crater formed in the unforgiving ground. He'd never learn. Do NOT insult Kagome or her cooking, which Shippo thought was great by the way, thank you very much. Shippo was just about to get comfortable and watch the show when he noticed something flashing out of the corner of his eye.

His attention drawn to the mysterious object, Shippo scurried over to the riverside and picked up a small gem-looking stone. It was midnight black, with blue and red flames sparkling beneath the surface. It was really pretty.

"Kagome! Kagome!"

Kagome instinctively held out her arms and caught the young kitsune, Inuyasha forgotten as her attention focused on his big green puppy eyes.

"Look what I found! Isn't it pretty?"

Kagome sat down and Shippo perched on her shoulder so she could inspect the stone.

"It's beautiful Shippo. Where'd you find it?"

"By the river."

Kagome glanced at the rushing waters then back at the gem, turning it over slowly, mesmerized by the dancing colors. She paused when she noticed a small silver chain barely attached.

"Whatever this is, it looks like it belongs to someone. They'll probably want it back."

Kagome glanced up when she heard a small crunch to see Miroku standing a few feet away, gaping at the stone in her hands.

"Kagome-sama, may I see that stone?"

Startled at the nervousness in his voice, she quickly passed it to him. He, in turn, inspected it in rather the same manner she had, turning it over and staring into its depths. He sighed and sat down.

"Just as I thought. Kagome-sama, this is a Tear Stone."

Upon seeing the blank expressions on the faces of his companions, Miroku settled down for a long conversation.

"There is a race of demons known as the Koorime, or ice maidens. They reside on a floating island over northern Japan. They are extremely isolationist and exist separate from the workings of others, be they demon or human. The Koorime are all female…"

Miroku didn't notice the others rolling their eyes.

"…and do not trust any man."

Miroku paused when he heard barely suppressed giggles from both Sango and Kagome.

"Have I said something amusing, ladies?"

Sango was the first to contain her laughter.

"If this race is as cut off from everyone as you say they are, how do you know all this houshi?"

"Yeah, seriously Miroku. Did you find this floating island, climb on board, and ask every single female there to bear your child, giving them even more reason to stay isolated? Hmm?"

Miroku placed a hand over his heart and grimaced, an innocent expression on his face.

"Why Kagome-sama! I am hurt that you would think that of me!"

Kagome and Sango exchanged a knowing look, grinned and looked back at him. Miroku waved his hands in front of him wildly.

"No, fair maidens, no! It was my grandfather who gathered this information when he went to the island to seek treatment for the curse Naraku set upon him!"

That immediately got everyone's attention, including Inuyasha who had been ignoring the monk until then.

"The Koorime are said to have amazing healing abilities, able to bring back a soul from the brink of death."

Miroku cleared his throat.

"Well, back to the subject at hand. These stones are created by the tears of the Koorime. Whenever a maiden cries, her tears crystallize into these highly valued Tear Stones. Because of this, very few ever venture from the island for fear that they will be captured and abused for these gems."

"That's horrible!"

Kagome stood up and began to pace. Shippo watched from the ground.

"How could anyone do that just for a gem, no matter how valuable it is?!"

Turning around so fast her hair whipped, Kagome stood with her hands on her hips, eyes determined.

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to find whoever cried this and give it back to them!"

"No way! We are not going to take time off of the shard hunt just to go return some stupid bauble that someone was careless enough to lose! No way!"

"Inuyashaaa…SIT!"

BAM!

"Miroku, where's this floating island supposed to be?"

Amused by the display of power, Miroku pointed upriver. He stood up and dusted off his robe, quickly followed by Sango, Shippo and Kilala.

"Shall we go then?"

"Yeah! Come on Inuyasha! You're holding us up!"

Grumbling about inconsiderate wenches, annoying monks, and stupid baubles, Inuyasha dug himself out of his now familiar crater and quickly caught up to the disappearing group ahead.

--

"Inuyasha…SIT!"

"Kagome-sama, Inuyasha does have a point. We have been searching for almost a week and have yet to find anyone we believe the Tear Stone belongs to nor have we found the Koorime's Island. Perhaps it is time to accept we are not meant to find either one."

"Miroku's right Kagome. We really should go back to looking for the shards."

Kagome sighed. Her head was hung and her bangs covered the small tears in her eyes.

"I know Sango. It's just…I was really hoping…huh?"

"Kagome?"

"It's…glowing…"

Kagome held up the tear stone which was indeed glowing a gentle pink. Kagome started for a moment and reached for the shards. They were glowing too.

They began to pulse, slowly but with increasing speed. After a final blinding flash, there was nothing and there was silence.

"We should go this way."

Kagome pointed away from the river, in the opposite direction they had been going.

"Are you sure Kagome-sama?"

"Yes Miroku. I don't know how, but I'm _sure_ we should go that way."

"Well, let us depart then."

"Come on Inuyasha! You're holding us up!"

Grumbling about inconsiderate wenches, annoying monks, and stupid glowing baubles, Inuyasha dug himself out of his now familiar crater and quickly caught up to the disappearing group ahead.

--

**Well, this turned out a lot shorter than I originally thought it would but I guess that's OK since this is really just a prologue. I just couldn't resist torturing Inuyasha in this since I haven't really been able to do it on any of my other fics yet. Oh! I actually do know what I'm going to do in the next chapter…I just haven't written it yet! **


	2. Meeting in the Woods

"Kagome, where are we

**I was so shocked when I last checked my e-mail. Two days after I first posted this, I had eighty-two emails, all of which pertained to THIS story. Of course, only about ten were actually reviews but STILL! The rest were emails saying so and so had added this story to their favorites or story alert. I'm pretty sure I responded to all the reviews but if I didn't please accept my humblest apologies and thanks for your review. **

**Special thanks to ****Chrystal-Hearts**** who helped me out with the tear stone! Much love. **

**Well, marching rehearsals start on the 28****th****, so after that I have absolutely no idea when I'll be able to post anything so please don't kill me if I disappear off the face of fanfiction! In light of this, here is an extra long chapter…at least for me. **

**-- **

"Kagome, where are we?"

The brown-eyed miko glanced around at their surroundings and ran her fingers nervously through Shippo's tail. It was comforting to feel the soft fur slide easily through her fingers.

"I'm not sure Shippo. I'm not exactly sure where the others are either at the moment. It's hard to see anything through this fog."

The fog had rolled in swiftly, without warning not even five minutes after they had started down a narrow trail through a forest filled with strange trees whose reaching branches pierced the sky, casting them in shadow.

The fog was thick and settled heavily on their shoulders. Kagome swore she had seen figures writhing in the mist. She had seen a dragon rear its head and shoot a gust of flame into a blood red sky. She had seen a fox trotting to its den, a bat screeching as it flew overhead. Other shapes had appeared, disappearing too quickly to determine what they were. Others had seemed not to have any solid form at all.

Once, she had seen what she thought was a demon in the roiling fog. He had been handsome, tall and strong, with broad shoulders and a powerful chest. His glowing crimson eyes had pierced her through scraggly black bangs. The rest of his ankle length hair had been pleated in a single braid. He'd been wearing old fashioned armor over forest green hakamas and a white haori patterned with flying serpents. He terrified her.

Only when both the tear stone and the Shikon no tama began to pulse with blinding light had this mysterious image vanished back into the fog. Since then, both gems had emanated a soft glow, enough to illuminate the path a few feet ahead.

After calling for the others for almost ten minutes, the two had given up. Resolving to continue on the path and hoping the others would do the same, Kagome and Shippo continued to walk until they reached a small clearing clear of the fog.

Kagome set her backpack near a stump on the outskirts on the clearing, sighing in relief as she stretched her taut muscles. Shippo immediately ran over to investigate, digging through her pack in an effort to get to the food nestled at the bottom of the seemingly bottomless bag.

"Shippo! What have I told you about going through my stuff, you little thief?"

Shippo glanced up, his face caught between playing the innocent _kit _eyes (so much worse than puppy eyes) and a guilty expression.

"Tell you what, you pick up what you've so precariously tossed around and I'll make us some food. What do you want Ship?"

"Umm, do you have any of those faceless octopuses? Those were good!"

Shippo's eyes gleamed when he remembered the very clever way he had outwitted Miroku when he had tried to steal the last one the first time they had had the pleasure to eat them. He'd had to resort to other methods since then but he always got the last one. Still smiling at the memory, he scurried over to the bracelet he'd tossed to the edge of the clearing. He jerked to a halt when white slippers stepped in front of him.

"Sure Shippo. I'll put some ramen on too. Anything else?"

Shippo looked up to see white fighting pants. They rustled softly when the legs inside bent so their owner could pick up the bracelet lying innocently on the ground. Glancing at the clawed hand, Shippo's eyes followed a well muscled arm up to a snow white shirt and further to an angular face haloed by hair more silver than Inu-baka's. He saw golden eyes inspect him and he straightened, trying to impress this stranger that looked vaguely familiar.

"Shippo?"

Kagome looked up from her pack, wondering why Shippo hadn't answered. Normally he talked almost as much as her friends in her era. She froze when she saw the stranger crouched only a foot away from Shippo. He was GORGEOUS! He looked like a cross between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha but that was beside the point.

Though she felt no menace in this demon's aura nor the one approaching from the woods, her hand tightened around the gems suspended at her neck, an action which did not go unnoticed by the narrowing golden eyes. Nervous, she began to count her options. She could run. She could almost guarantee this demon was much faster. She could fight. Ha! Fat chance of winning. She could stay and see what this mysterious kitsune and his friend wanted and hope that they got out alive with the Shikon shards and the tear stone still in their possession.

Seeing as this option seemed to be the only one that made any sense, Kagome straightened, brushing off the leaves and various other forest objects that clung to her uniform back to the ground. She looked intently at the newcomer and tried to maintain his gaze when he met her eyes.

Shippo, who had just noticed the staring contest, glanced between Kagome and the new guy perched next to him. Slowly, he edged back toward Kagome, unsure at the moment what this kitsune's intentions were. The golden eyes never left Kagome's brown ones.

"Yo Youko! Where are…oh. What do we have here?"

Eye contact broken when this _Youko _glanced at his rather noisy companion, Kagome turned her attention to the clearing's newest arrival. A bat demon by the looks of it. He had midnight black hair held up by a pony tail that poked through the back of the worn black head that partially covered his curious violet eyes. He was wearing black clothes, a rougher contrast to the pure white of Youko's. His wings were black too. Like all the bat demons she had encountered before, the wings were leathery rather than the angelic feathery wings that people often pictured when imagining winged beings.

"Well Kuroune, it looks like a kitsune kit and a very indecently dressed ningen female."

"HEY! For your information this is common where I'm from!"

"Then females are all whores wherever it is you are from?"

Kagome's face turned beet red and Shippo immediately covered his ears, pitying the fox behind him for the earful of angry ranting he was about to receive. Noticing the curious glance sent his way by the bat demon, he merely shook his head and waited for the storm to break.

"NO! You rude perverted fox! As a matter of fact, where I'm from we just aren't expected to cover every inch of our bodies. This is my school uniform and yes, I'll admit it's not exactly the most modest piece of clothing in my wardrobe but it's what I have to wear! If I was a whore, which I'm **not**, you'd know it! Whores where I'm from wear practically nothing and…"

The ranting continued for another ten minutes and Kagome grew increasingly loud and creative with her threats of what she would do to the next person who called her a whore or a demon simply because of what she wore! Youko's ears were flattened against his skull in an effort dampen the noise and Kuroune had his hands clamped over his ears, wincing at the sheer volume.

"And furthermore, it's very rude to just go and- EEP!"

Kagome's eyes widened as she felt Youko's soft lips press against hers. She forgot why she was yelling in the first place as she melted into the warm sensations he was causing in her body. But alas, memory soon caught up and a resounding slap soon echoed in the small clearing.

Kagome glared at the kitsune demon who stared at her with a bright red handprint marring his otherwise flawless face.

"Great! Another Miroku! Did you not just hear everything I said? I'm not some whore!"

"I realize that. However, it was the only thing I could think of at the time to get you to be quiet before my ears began to bleed."

Kagome faltered, suddenly sheepish. She glanced upward and finally noticed the ears twitching on top of Youko's head. Darn it!

Before anyone in the clearing for knew what had happened, Kagome's hands were massaging Youko's ears and he was leaning into her touch, purring extremely loudly. Kuroune and Shippo blinked several times before bursting into laughter.

Kagome blushed and pulled her hands away, mumbling an apology while Youko merely glared at the two rolling on the ground in a fit of giggles, a barely detectable blush on his porcelain features as well.

When Shippo finally managed to contain his glee, he sputtered an explanation that really just made him burst into laughter again. Kuroune managed a straight face, made his own comment, and burst into a new fit of laughter himself.

"Kagome's always had a weakness for ears, tails, anything furry…but she really likes ears."

"Well Youko, I didn't know you liked your ears rubbed…or that you could purr so loudly."

When the laughter finally died down, the gathering grew more serious. Kagome's nervousness returned almost full force as she glanced at the occupants of the clearing.

"So…what are you guys doing here?"

"Keeping eyes and ears open for fair maidens of course!"

Grinning slightly at Kuroune's obvious joke-turned-compliment, Kagome shook her head. Youko smirked and crossed his arms.

"Tell you what, we'll tell you if you introduce yourselves and tell _us _what _you _are doing here."

Kagome shrugged.

"This is Shippo. I'm Kagome, miko-in-training."

Frowning when the atmosphere became as tense as their expressions, Kagome groaned.

"Relax 'kay. I'm not going to purify anyone without a very good reason. I'm not a very good miko anyway."

Smiling when the two demons unclenched their shoulders, she continued.

"My friends and I came here looking for the owner of something we found by a river and we were separated when this really creepy fog came rolling in out of nowhere."

At the shocked and slightly worried expression that came over the two demons expressions, Kagome faltered.

"What it is?"

The two shook their heads as if to clear them of a nightmare. Kuroune was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Forget it. So…you said you were returning something you found. What'd you find?"

"Now why would I tell you that? For all I know, you're thieves waiting for the perfect moment to relieve me of everything I own."

At the suddenly sheepish expressions, Kagome paused, finally noticing the pack slung over Kuroune's shoulders.

"That's it, isn't it? You're thieves and you were escaping from your latest heist when you stumbled into our little clearing."

She swept her arm around to emphasize her point. Kuroune and Youko winced, expecting her to either run away screaming bloody murder or have another twenty minute rant on the evils of thieving. She did neither.

"Well, as long as you don't take anything from me and don't try to corrupt Shippo anymore than he already is, you're both welcome to stay for lunch."

Kagome gestured at the forgotten food that was bubbling along merrily over the small portable battery powered heater she had brought. Moving quickly, she quickly snatched the ramen cups on the heater, added some seasoning she knew demons were fond of and handed them out to her stupefied guests. She also pulled out her basket of other goodies and set them out on the ground by the demons before plopping down to eat her own meal.

Kuroune and Youko merely stared at the girl as if she had grown a tail and sprouted ears herself. Youko leaned over and whispered to Shippo.

"Is she always like this?"

"Yeah. Inu-baka says she's too trusting for her own good."

"I heard that Shippo…and INUYASHA just so suspicious of everyone we meet, I figure I have to be trusting enough for the both of us. Besides, I've haven't gotten into too much trouble have I?"

Ignoring the dubious expression on the kit's face, Kuroune picked up on another topic of conversation.

"Inuyasha? Dog Demon?"

"Yeah, Inuyasha's a hanyou friend of mine."

Glaring at them out of the corner of her eye, she continued after a moment with a satisfied grin when no one immediately began throwing insults.

"Anyway, he was my first real friend here and he's been protecting me since."

Youko frowned at the statements, wondering briefly why his chest tightened at the thought of Kagome with another male. Of course, he'd only known her an hour…but still, he had the right to be attracted to a pretty female…right?

Kuroune hesitantly took a bite of the strange food they had been given and immediately froze. Youko glanced at him, ready to kill the woman if she had poisoned his partner, no matter how attractive she was.

"This…is really GOOD!"

Kuroune swiftly began stuffing his face full of the creamy noodles. Youko took a bite of his own and, finding that he agreed, downed his in a minute flat.

Kagome stared at them and laughed when they held out the cups for seconds.

"Figures, demons seem to love this food though I've yet to get Lord Fluffy to try this unworthy human food."

Neither demon heard her as they finished round two. Youko wiped his chin and stared at Kagome for a moment before speaking.

"So…what exactly was it that you were trying to return?"

Kagome fidgeted for a second, her trusting side and her rational side engaged in heavy battle.

"You had better not take it or I swear you'll regret it."

Wondering what exactly it was she would do if he did decide to steal whatever it was, Youko promised not to steal it…but whoever took the word of a thief?

Reaching for the chain around her neck, Kagome pulled up the tear stone. She stared at the faces of the bandits. They seemed slightly in awe of the Tear Stone. They also seemed to recognize it for what it was. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.

"That looks like…"

"…Hiei's."

**I thought about stopping here but since I doubt I'll be able to post anything else for who knows how long, I'll go ahead and continue.**

"Hiei? You mean you know who this belongs to? Do you know where he is?"

Kuroune looked slightly dazed when he replied.

"Some demon named Shigure I think. Up in the Northern Mountains."

Youko nodded in affirmation, his eyes locked on the red and blue flames that danced just underneath the surface of the gem. His hand seemingly reached for the stone of its own accord and, trusting her instinct Kagome let him take the gem from her neck. He turned it over, inspecting the stone for some hidden thing only he could detect.

"It's Hiei's all right. It emanates with his aura but…there's something different about it. Something more powerful and ancient than any of us."

Reluctant to mention the Shikon Jewel or its interaction with the small stone, Kagome merely nodded as Youko handed the stone back to her and she slipped it over her head. Sighing when she felt its warmth settle next to the vial of shards, she looked back at the two demons settled opposite she and Shippo.

"So, you know where he is."

"Yeah, we do."

"Will you take us to him?"

Kuroune and Youko glanced at the miko, shock written on their faces.

"You would trust us to take you who knows where just to return this to Hiei and be on your way again."

Kagome shrugged, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Sure. You've proved trustworthy so far. Besides, I know the lord of the mountains and if anything happens to me, he'll kick your buts for hurting his 'woman'."

Kagome laughed at the bandit's blank expressions.

"Long story. Please don't ask."

Youko nodded dumbly. This onna never ceased to amaze him and he hadn't even known her a day. This journey was going to be interesting to say the least. He was further surprised when Kagome stood up and picked up her bulging backpack and heaved it on her back. Shippo leaped onto her shoulder and looked expectantly at the other two from behind the bow leaning on Kagome's shoulders.

"You mean, you want to go now?"

"Yeah, we've been sitting still longer than we normally do at any given time anyway. Besides, I really need to find the others and let them know we're OK."

Seeing no reason to argue, Kuroune and Youko stood up and began to follow the miko back onto the trail, which had cleared of fog while they had been talking.

However, before they had taken two steps, a large snake youkai bounded through the underbrush and glared at the odd group before opening its drooling maw and roaring.

Kagome rubbed her face and groaned.

"Maybe I spoke too soon."

--

_**miko – priestess**_

_**kitsune – fox**_

_**Inu-baka – idiot Inuyasha**_

_**Shikon no tama – Jewel of Four Souls (duh!)**_

**Sorry for the cliffhanger but I had to end the chapter sometime. Even so, this is one of the longest chapters I've ever written. **

**PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK. **


	3. Memories

The snake demon was enormous

**I had a moment's inspiration and just started typing! I apologize if I've kept anyone waiting too long. Could anyone please tell me what abilities Kuroune actually has? I wasn't sure but I wanted to get you guys another chapter so I made some up…sorta. **

**Anyway, I need your votes. I was originally planning on making this a Hiei Kagome fic but I'd like your votes seeing as she hasn't met him yet.**

**Kagome/Hiei**

**Kagome/Youko**

**Kagome/Kuroune**

**Hiei/Kagome/Youko**

**Youko/Kagome/Kuroune**

**Youko/Kagome/Hiei**

The snake demon was enormous. Its thick body was covered in dull green and crimson scales that overlapped to form a protective layer of armor. Even its belly was enclosed in pale yellow scales, a sickly color that matched its malevolent glowing eyes. When it opened its jaws and snarled, ten inch fangs dripping with venom were exposed. Neither Youko nor Kuroune looked impressed.

Youko smirked and delicately pulled a small seed from within his silver tresses. He flicked his wrist and scarlet rose appeared, becoming a thorn-covered whip an instant later, deadly in its beauty.

Kuroune grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously when he pulled twin katanas from his belt. The scabbards themselves were black ebony inlaid with glittering ruby bats and diamonds stars. The swords themselves were winged marvels, light and perfectly balanced. He'd probably stolen them.

Kagome glanced at the two youkai preparing for battle as she readied her own weapon. Their auras flared in anticipation, overpowering the snake demon. But…something felt off. She was missing something important, she was sure of it.

"Shippo, go hide in the trees."

Shippo looked at his surrogate mother, wanting to protest. When he saw the serious and slightly nervous expression on her face however, he decided to do as he was told. Watching the kit climb to the relative safety of a high branch, Kagome concentrated on the off feeling. It was coming closer, creeping along the ground…

When a scaly tail wrapped around her body and crushed her ribs, Kagome tried to call out but the iron grip had forced the air from her lungs so quickly her head spun. As a mob of demons materialized from the shadows, Kagome felt herself being turned to face her captor.

This demon had a more humanoid appearance than his reptilian counterparts. He, like the snake he was, was covered in sallow scales that rippled with his movements. His arms and legs were well muscled, clawed hands and feet ready to rip into her fragile human body. His face was slightly elongated and he had thin yellow eyes.

"Well now, who would have thought that the Sssshikon miko would ssstumble right into our foresssst?"

The oily voice flowed over her skin, caressing her as the words hissed into her mind. She felt the demon's presence trying to break past her mental barriers and steal her secrets. Appalled at the intrusion, she fought against him with every ounce of power her oxygen derived mind could muster, but she felt her strength draining from the force of the probe.

The demon hissed, a mocking laughter that pushed her to further struggles.

"S'matter miko? I will know your secretssss. I will possess your shardssss. It isss only a matter of time."

As he spoke, the scaly appendage dragged her forward, well within arms reach of the youkai in front of her. The sounds of the battle faded away as the demon placed a clawed hand on each side of her face and forced her to stare into his eyes.

Kagome felt her resistance weaken as the swirling yellow paralyzed her thoughts. She gasped in pain when her barriers broke and memories burst forth in a blazing wave of heat, color, and raw emotion.

"_I'm home! Hey Jii-chan, where's Mama? I wanna show her my 100!"_

_Seven year-old Kagome waved her spelling test in front of Jii-chan's face, proud of herself. She'd even manage to spell 'responsible' right! And that was the hardest word in the entire test! _

_Jii-chan smiled, but his eyes looked sad. _

"_Mama's in the house Kagome…but why don't you show her your 100 later. I have to tell you the legend of this-"_

_But Kagome was already running inside, ready to fly into her mother's arms and tell her all about her day. _

"'_Mama!!" _

_Kagome stopped when Mama didn't respond. Why was it so quiet? Oh! Maybe they were having a surprise party! It was her birthday after all! There was a party planned for later, but maybe that was part of the surprise, that it would be early! _

_Kagome's happy thoughts stopped when she heard crying. What was going on?_

_Kagome steeped cautiously into the kitchen, suddenly feeling queasy. Mama was crying, hunched into a little ball in the corner. Mama didn't cry. Mama shouldn't cry! Mama shouldn't ever be hurt anough to cry!_

"_Mama! Mama, what's the matter, Mama?"_

_Mama didn't respond. She just curled further into herself, her sobs muffled by the fists clenched in front of her face. She looked pale and weak, like a little kid. But Mama was Mama, not a little kid who cried for nothing!_

"_Mama! Mama, please! What's wrong? It wasn't me was it?"_

_Mama looked up, tears blazing in her dull brown eyes. _

"_No! No, darling, don't you ever think that! Never ever think that!"_

_Kagome flinched. Mama was yelling…but she never yelled unless she was really angry! Especially not on her birthday! Kagome felt tears coming into her own eyes but she tried to hold them back. If it wasn't her fault, then she would just be strong. Be strong for Mama like Mama was for her. She bent down and gave Mama a small hug, timid, almost afraid that Mama would break. _

_Mama wrapped her thin arms around Kagome and cried. Kagome kneeled there for a moment, not sure what to do. Then, she patted Mama on the back and crooned softly to her like Mama did for her when she scraped her knee or was picked on at school. But Kagome had a feeling this was much worse than a scraped knee. _

_Kagome could never remember how long she stayed there and held her Mama. She did remember crying, crying for her Mama. _

_When Mama looked back up, her eyes were red and puffy but she was smiling again. It was little and weak but it was there. Kagome smiled back, proud that she had helped Mama. Hearing crying again, Kagome and her Mama looked toward the baby's room. _

"_I'll go take care of Souta." _

_Mama stood up and dusted herself off before hurrying down the hall. Kagome watched her go before standing up herself. Her legs hurt from kneeling on the floor for so long but that was OK. Mama was better. Just as she was about to follow Mama, something on the floor caught her eye. _

_Kagome bent down and picked up a small crumpled piece of paper. Delicately opening up the thin sheet, little Kagome read the first line. She never got any farther before she collapsed onto the floor and started sobbing herself. The wrinkly paper fluttered to the ground, words written in red crayon barely visible through the tear stains. _

_Kun-Loon, Kagome, Souta_

_I'll always love you…but I have to leave. _

_I'm going to America._

_Daddy_

Tears poured down Kagome's face as long buried memories were forced to the surface and her hands began to bleed from pounding the hard scales. Somehow she saw the demon's grinning face stare back at her. The bastard was enjoying forcing her to remember this, to experience this again. Somehow, she found the breath to cry, to curse this demon when he found another memory buried beneath years of suppression.

_Kagome looked at herself in the mirror. Ghostly dead eyes stared back at her, frightening in the face of a child. She knew she had aged in the past week, in the days since Daddy had abandoned them. She knew she wouldn't really fit in anymore, not with the classmates who still had both their parents and didn't know this heart-wrenching agony. _

_She sighed, knowing that in less than an hour, she would have to face those classmates. She would have to go back to school and do her homework and pretend like everything was fine, like her life hadn't just been ripped apart and haphazardly put back together like a broken doll whose heart was gone. _

"_Kagome, are you ready?"_

_Kagome stared at Mama, large eyes dull and lifeless. She glanced at the eerie reflection in the mirror again, then walked up and took Mama's hand. _

"_I guess so Mama."_

_The car ride was quiet. Even Souta was silent, sleeping fitfully in the back seat. Kagome stared out the window, not really seeing the beautiful park they passed or the people walking by. When the three pulled up at the school a five minutes later, Mama looked at Kagome for a second before reaching over and grabbing her hand. _

"_You know if you need to come home, you can have the teacher call me and I'll be here in ten minutes right?" _

_Kagome nodded and slipped out of her seatbelt to join the other children playing outside while they waited for school to start. Mama watched her mover to a lonely swing set and sit down, feet hanging inches off the ground. She sighed and drove away. _

_Kagome glared at the rocks below her feet, trying to push out all her anger and frustration and pain and blame into those tiny little pebbles. When white tennis shoes stepped in her line of vision, she turned her glare to the boy standing in front of her. It was Hikaru Mishoti, the playground bully. _

"_So shorty, I heard your Daddy left you."_

_Kagome flinched and glared at the boy. She felt heat rise to her face, pooling behind her eyes and in her throat. Her pale fingers fisted around the chain swings and she was barely able to restrain herself from running away from the scorn in his voice. _

"_You know, I bet I know why he left. I bet he just couldn't stand to see you anymore."_

_Kagome saw red and before she knew what she was doing she had punched the boy and broken his nose. She stormed up to him, screeching her fury. She didn't notice the red haired boy whose head snapped up and glared at Hikaru with brilliant emerald eyes. _

"_You LIAR! Mama says it wasn't my fault! It's not my fault! It's not my fault! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"_

_Kagome punched him again and resorted to kicking when he fell to the rocks clutching his nose. _

"_LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"_

_Kagome didn't stop kicking when the teacher pulled her away or when the principal came. She punched the air while she told her what Hikaru said. She finally calmed when the red haired boy sat down next to her and pulled her into a quiet hug while the principal called Mama to come pick her up. Kagome knew she wasn't in trouble, but the principal wanted to have a long talk with Hikaru and everyone else in her class before they saw her again. So Kagome sat and cried in the embrace of a red haired boy she didn't know but who was willing to help her let go as he held her. _

_And through it all, a single mantra ran through Kagome's mind. _

_It wasn't my fault! It wasn't my fault! It wasn't my fault…was it?_

Kagome sobbed openly now as the demon's grip had loosened enough that she could breathe, though that breathe was only ripped away by painful sobs. She no longer felt the extreme pressure in her mind but knew it was no longer needed. The bastard had opened up the floodgates and now every single painful memory she had ever acquired had rushed to the forefront of her conscious mind, eager to be viewed in raped succession.

She saw Kikyo and Inuyasha holding each other again and again. She saw Shippo crying in his sleep as nightmares of his father's murder plagued his young mind. She saw Sango mourning the loss of her clan and the pain in her eyes every time Kohaku was used against her. She saw Miroku's calm determination to endure the fate of his cursed wind tunnel fade to hopelessness when he thought no one was looking. She saw herself, possessed and forced to hurt her friends. She remembered Jinenji's silent suffering at the hands of the villagers and Shiori's weary eyes. She remembered until her heart bled to death and her tears ran dry.

"MAMA!"

Shippo had emerged from the cover of the trees, sprinting toward Kagome in his rush to save his surrogate mother. He never noticed the clawed hand that sent him crashing into a sapling, the small tree cracking from the force of his small body slamming into the trunk. He slid down the rough bark, landing on the stump near her backpack in a small bloody heap.

"SHIPPO! **NOOOOO!!**"

"Yesss, my little miko. I shall destroy all your friends thus after I leave here with your shardsss, just as I am going to kill your new friends now."

He turned her face back toward the battle. Youko had a snake gripped in his whips thorny embrace and Kuroune was flying above the masses, narrowly avoiding the strike of a snakes fangs. They weren't wounded but Kagome could tell they were tiring from the sheer number of demons in the clearing.

"Kagome wrenched her face away, his claws scouring her cheek when she did. She closed her eyes and a single tear fell. She began to mumble something.

"What wasss that my little miko? Speak up dear."

Kagome looked up, her eyes still closed.

"No. You won't."

Her eyes opened, glowing pure blinding white in her rage. Her body itself began to glow a dazzling pink, surpassed only by the gems suspended at her neck. The snake demon hissed and sought to throw her to the ground but found he was unable to move away from his death. He was purified in an instant, not even ashes remaining as he vanished.

Kagome remained suspended in the air, feet floating only inches above the forest floor. She moved her hands forward as if in a trance, clasping them together in a meditation pose Miroku had taught her some months ago. With a blinding flash, her aura expanded, quickly encasing the entire clearing.

When the glow faded, the only people remaining were three newly healed demons and a floating miko.

Kagome's eyes closed and her aura sank back into her skin though the gems continued to pulse for a few more seconds before their light too disappeared.

"It wasn't my fault."

Youko's keen ears barely caught the whispered words before he realized she was falling. He sprinted forward and barely caught her before she hit the ground. He tucked a stray hair from her face and scrutinized her sleeping form.

Who was this miko? And what wasn't she telling them?

**WAH! I'm going to cry! I know that Kagome's dad is gone in the Manga and anime, but I couldn't remember if he died or abandoned them. However, having him abandoning them fit better into my storyline. GAH! That just sounded so cold! **

**I tried to make the emotion in the memories as real as I could. Lord knows I've had enough hands-on experience that that was easy enough. My dad left when I was little too. Course, I'm pretty much over it now and he wrote his note with red crayon on our living room wall and I don't remember ever being teased about it…**

**PLEASE don't review just to say "Oh, I'm so sorry!" I'm not looking for pity 'k, just making a statement. Sympathy is nice and all, but I'd much rather have reviews on the chapter. … Sorry if that was kinda rude but I woulda been really upset if all the reviews I got were pity statements. **

**Anyway, poor Kagome! I'll make it up to you later!**

…

**On a slightly more positive note, I've updated much sooner than I thought I would, so could you all do me a favor and push the little button on the bottom of the screen and review please. **


	4. The Sky was Red

Kagome/Hiei - 1

**This is completely and totally random but we were going through some boxes in the attic and my mom found one of her old papers from before my twin and I were born. It gave some weird statistics I didn't understand…and had a big full page picture of our DNA! Genes and everything. **

**Anyway, I had some free time this weekend, so I sat myself down at the computer and started typing. As of the last time I checked my e-mail, the results of the vote are as follows. Now, thanks for the votes but can you guys do me a favor? If you're going to vote for a love triangle (or foursome, whatever the case may be) can you tell me who you want Kagome to end up with in the end be it one youkai or two or whatever. Voting for other pairings will gladly be taken too. **

**Kagome/Hiei - 1**

**Kagome/Youko – 0 (Oh, poor Youko!)**

**Kagome/Kuroune - 1**

**Hiei/Kagome/Youko - 2**

**Youko/Kagome/Kuroune -1**

**Youko/Kagome/Hiei -1**

**Youko/Kagome/Kuroune/Hiei – 2**

Shippo crouched in Youko's lap, his entire body trembling. He clutched the thin white fabric of Youko's pants, barely able to breathe past the lump that had firmly lodged itself in his small throat.

He scanned Kagome again, hoping that somehow, in the last three seconds since he had looked, she had woken up and was coming over to hold him. She hadn't. She still tossed and turned under the flimsy blanket, her body covered in a thin sheen of sweat as her mind was immersed in nightmares.

A strangled sob freed itself from his soul and Shippo barely managed to restrain another. His resolve to be strong nearly broke when he felt a warm, calloused hand rubbing soothing circles on his small back. Kagome always did that.

Youko frowned. The kit was highly distressed, almost to the point of complete mental agony. He continued to rub his back, remembering the comfort it had brought when he was a kit. His mother had always sung to him but Youko felt that if he sung the song she sang, it would somehow be ruined by his voice.

_Come with me my dearest _

_High above the storm clouds_

_Fly away and be free_

_See the stars for all their glory_

_See the moon shine just for you_

_Nothing can touch you here_

_You'll be safe in my arms tonight_

_Safe in my embrace_

The silver bandit sighed, wondering just how on earth a simple heist had turned into this. He glanced at the frantic Shippo, trying to be strong, trying not to cry. The kit must have seen some terrible things if he was able to refrain from crying for this long.

Glancing at the unconscious miko under Kuroune's watchful gaze, Youko reflected on the events of the past three hours. He and Kuroune had happened across a miko and a _kitsune_ kit, alone, together, and not trying to kill each other.

If that hadn't made the day strange enough, said miko nearly blew a casket when he'd made a comment about her indecent clothing…and then had invited them to say _after_ she had figured out they were thieves. Then, the whole incident with the snake demons.

She had been separated from them near the beginning of the fight, captured by the leader of the demons. After that, he had lost track of her in the carnage that followed. While the demons were not a threat in any small numbers, in their great mass, they had taken longer than he had expected to defeat. But the battle had not stopped him from hearing her screams.

Youko didn't even know why he cared. He was supposed to be _ruthless! _This was only a human woman after all, a miko, but a human woman nonetheless. Beneath him! Not even worthy of the dirt beneath his feet. And yet…

Youko glanced at Shippo again. This human woman had taken in a kitsune child. He did not know the circumstances behind the event, but he was well aware of how independent, mischievous, and stubborn young kitsunes could be. He also knew that kits would never leave their parents willingly until they were at least twice Shippo's age. Had his parents been killed?

Youko shook his head, trying to clear his mind. If his parents had been murdered, the kit would have likely wandered around for a time, seeking revenge. If he had survived, he likely would have become a wanderer, traveling across Japan alone. He surely would not have trusted anyone for quite some time.

But this woman…this human woman had gained his trust. She had apparently taken him in and cared for him, seen him as a child and not a demon to be purified and the kit…had come to see her as _mother. _Perhaps only another kitsune could ever understand the magnitude of this, for a kitsune did not give out his trust so easily. Kagome was even more amazing than he had first imagined.

…And her strange power. He had encountered miko's before in his travels, even fought against some, but never had he seen a miko who could destroy an entire clearing of demons and heal her demon allies in one wave of blinding power. She wasn't even fully trained!

There was also the matter of Hiei's tear stone. Everyone in Japan knew the value of a koorime's tear stone! Humans and demons alike killed for the baubles and she was entrusting her life to bandits she barely knew in order to return it to its rightful owner!

The stone itself seemed to have changed as well. It was…calmer, the conflict inside receding, fading into the shadows like a forgotten nightmare. It pulsed with power now more so than ever, coming to a climax in the blinding flash of Kagome's power that had engulfed the clearing. There was another gem too, powerful and ancient and pure that Kagome carried.

Youko was pulled from his musings when Shippo finally broke down and began to cry. He held the young kit to him, continuing to rub soothing circles on his back and murmur reassuringly.

Kagome had better wake up soon for Shippo's sake.

--

_The sky was red. _

_A bright bloody searing scarlet that plunged her heart into agony._

_The world was broken. _

_A shapeless convulsing mass bent on her destruction. _

_The memories were overwhelming. _

_Phantom shadows that sought her demise. _

_The monsters were back._

_She thought she had killed them all._

_They wanted her to suffer._

_So they tortured her friends. _

_The screams were so very loud. _

_Piercing her soul like a hundred jagged shards of a broken jewel._

_They wanted to break her._

_So they killed them. _

_Her stomach heaved. _

_Trying to free her body of toxins outside her body, inside her mind. _

_The sobs were silent. _

_Wracking her frail body with each halting breath. _

_The tears ran down her face. _

_The overflow of her emotions._

_There was nothing she could do. _

_She had tried before. She had always failed. She always would. _

_The sky was red. _

--

Kuroune stood abruptly, his wings twitching with frustration. He didn't know how much longer he could stay here. He had never been one to stay in one place for too long to begin with, but with the kit sobbing and Youko brooding, sitting still had become unbearable. Watching Kagome suffer and being unable to do anything had become unbearable.

"We should leave."

Youko's head snapped toward the bat youkai and Kuroune fidgeted from the intensity in those golden orbs. Youko had taken an interest in the miko and her kit.

"I don't mean leave _them_ Youko. I just mean get to a safer spot, you know, like back home. More demons could show up here any minute and this isn't exactly the best spot for a fight."

Youko's intense stare left Kuroune and he sighed with relief. He knew that stare was often the last thing many youkai saw in their short, pathetic lives. That stare could bring a defiant youkai to a groveling mess in an instant.

"Very well. You carry Kagome. It will be safer that way if we run into any more trouble."

Kuroune nodded, waking over to the miko and gently picked her up bridal style. When Kagome's feverish body settled in his arms, he glanced over at Shippo and gave him a reassuring wink. He and Youko might be ruthless when it came to thieving, but they both had a heart underneath their cold exterior, especially around children, no matter how much they denied it.

Kuroune spread his wings and took off into the sky, well aware that Youko was following close behind, leaping from tree to tree with Shippo clinging to his shoulder. He slipped into an easy glide and let his mind wander.

This miko was certainly strange. While he was nowhere near as old as Youko, he doubted even the infamous silver bandit had seen a miko this accepting of youkai. Kuroune had met one miko before that hadn't shot him on sight, but even she had held a small amount of fear. Kagome had none.

On that note, she had befriended a hanyou. While Kuroune himself had no personal prejudice against hanyous, he knew that most of Japan did not feel the same way. Humans scorned them for fear of their power and demons tried to kill them because of their inferior human blood. For a human miko to gain one's trust must have taken a great deal of patience and understanding, not to mention a complete lack of hatred.

She had also accepted them. While she hadn't seemed to have realized _just _who they were, the mere fact that she knew they were thieves and still allowed them to stay and even invited them to dinner was amazing.

And she was powerful. A miko that powerful was rare, but a miko that powerful with no hatred for demons was practically unheard of! She had said she was in training, which meant that if she ever completed that training, no youkai could stand against her and hope to live if she deemed it a threat to herself or her friends.

Kuroune was so absorbed in his thoughts that he was only vaguely aware of reaching their castle and walking to the guest room (not that they had ever had guest per say). He laid Kagome down on the bed and tucked a stray hair from her face. After covering her securely in blankets, Kuroune silently left the room.

For his sanity, and Youko's too he suspected, Kagome had better wake up.

--

_The sky was red. _

_A bright searing scarlet that plunged her heart into agony._

_The ground was red. _

_The earth itself was bleeding, its life blood covering her in death. _

_The world was red. _

_Her memories twisted around her, a blurring, gruesome kaleidoscope of crimson fire that burned her with but a touch. _

_His eyes were red. _

_His cold crimson eyes stared at her from outside the barriers of her mind, calculating and cruel. _

_He was midnight. _

_He wore clothes of ebony. Everything but the white starburst and ruby eyes were black as the darkest night, the coldest heart. _

_He was powerful. _

_He had breached the threshold. His massive aura seared her mind, the chaos inside him escalating the chaos within her. _

_He was broken. _

_He was as torn as she but never let it show that inside, he wanted to cry, tears like the one she held close to her heart. _

_She was crying._

_He was in so much turmoil, her own seemed insignificant. _

_She reached out. _

_He stood there, well aware that she couldn't kill him even if she wanted to. _

_She touched him. _

_He stayed there, leaning into the gentle touch that calmed both of their raging auras if only for a moment. _

_He was gone. _

_He had disappeared an instant later. He couldn't afford to feel peace for he was chaos. _

_She was shattered. _

_A broken vessel of forgotten memories and dark dreams, she tried to piece her life back together. _

_The sky was red. _

--

Across Japan, a shadow stirred and vanished into the night.

**Wow. Despite how depressing this chapter is, I'm very proud of this…and don't worry. There will be more action and less depressing stuff in future chapters, which will come sooner if you review! **

**I swear I'm not holding my chapters ransom until I get x-many reviews but with everything else I have to do, I'm not going to work on a story if I don't think anyone's reading it. Just a heads up. **

**Quick question. I've heard Hiei's name means 'mountain' but I've also heard it means 'flying shadow.' Which is it or am I totally wrong?**

**On a side note, I want your opinions on something. I've got a couple stories that have been running rampart through my mind and I'd like to know if you guys would actually read them. **

**Evanescence**

A series of one shot songfics featuring songs by Evanescence and characters from Inuyasha. Darker. Requests will be taken. Please provide music and lyrics if possible!

**Through the Well**

When a freak accident causes SG-1 to travel back to feudal Japan, they meet someone they never expected: a modern day schoolgirl who travels through time and her unusual friends. Stargate SG-1/Inuyasha crossover.

**(I've never seen one of these but, hey, SG-1 traveled back to ancient Egypt, why not feudal Japan?)**

**Symphonies**

When Rookie Kagome Higurashi signed up for Marching Band, she certainly never expected to be drawn into an ever changing circle of alliances and make enemies she never knew existed. Now, she must find a way to survive the tumultuous emotions and shifting sands of the raging world known as High School.

**(SUMMARY SUCKS! Anyway, inspiration for this one would be never ending. My brain's already come up with about four chapters and a sketchy plot for the rest. Suggestions for summary will gladly be taken.)**


	5. Encounter

**Kagome/Hiei - 3**

**Kagome/Youko – 1**

**Kagome/Kuroune - 1**

**Hiei/Kagome/Youko - 7**

**Youko/Kagome/Kuroune -1**

**Youko/Kagome/Kuroune/Hiei – 11 **

Sango sighed, rubbing her temples in a futile effort to ward off her shooting headache. Inuyasha had been driving them into the ground ever since they had lost track of Kagome and Shippo in the dense fog.

"Inuyasha, can we not take a break?"

Inuyasha rounded furiously on the worn slayer.

"HELL NO! We have to find them! After all, Kagome could be hurt!"

Inuyasha froze, shocked at his words.

"I…I mean, she has the jewel shards and demons always go after the jewel shards first and Shippo isn't much protection and you know clumsy Kagome is. She's always hurting herself and…and..."

Inuyasha paused, looking closely at the dark circles beneath Sango's eyes and Miroku's tangled hair. Even Kirara looked tired.

"Fine, you three rest. I'll keep looking. We'll meet up at the village we stayed at yesterday."

Sango nodded. Miroku and Kirara both sat down on a nearby rock, breathing heavily. Inuyasha took off toward the sunrise.

None of them noticed the black blur that zipped by them an instant later.

* * *

Hiei barely noticed the bedraggled group as he sped by. Somewhere in the back of his mind, it registered that it was odd for such a collection of beings to coexist peacefully, but other than that, he gave them no further thought.

His mind was focused solely on the girl who had called to him. Her broken soul had reached across the miles to touch his sleeping thoughts. She had awoken hopes and dreams he had long since locked away.

Worse, ever since the encounter, he had felt a nagging pull in the middle of his chest demanding he go to her and dry her tears…and Hiei felt oddly compelled to obey that command.

For that reason alone, she must die.

Hiei touched down in a pear orchard. He stood silently, contemplating the castle that lay nestled just beyond the trees. He had been here before, during the few short weeks he had spent with Youko and Kuroune.

They had been the closest things he'd ever had to friends.

Cursing the girl once more for bringing back memories he would have preferred to forget, he focused on her aura and was surprised by the power radiating from it. It appeared the girl was a miko. Oh well, that would only make the kill more interesting.

Hiei leaped from tree to tree, quickly reaching the boundary of the grove. He took a small step back and jumped into the third story window. It took only an instant for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the room.

He was vaguely surprised to see the girl staring solemnly out of a window on the opposite corner of the room. She appeared completely at ease though she must have noticed the intruder in her room.

Hiei's fingers tightened their grip on his katana when the girl turned to look at him. Her brown eyes softened instantly. She stood frozen, an exquisite statue bathed in moonlight and soon to be covered in blood.

Her broken eyes did not waver nor harden when his blade touched her pale throat. Her sad smile did not fade away. Her feet did not run. Her hands did not push him away.

"You must be Hiei."

Hiei stared angrily at the girl who was so unaffected by the threat of her demise. She was supposed to run away, cowering in fear as she pled for her life. She was supposed to stand and fight, however short the battle might be. She was not supposed to converse calmly with her assassin as he held a blade to her throat.

"Does it matter, onna? You will have no need to know my name in the afterlife."

"Perhaps not. But if you are Hiei, I have something of yours that needs to be returned to you."

The girl reached for a delicate silver chain around her neck. She froze instantly however when a small form shifted quietly beneath the moss-green bedspread. She glanced at Hiei for a split second before she quickly moved to the squirming bundle.

Hiei was surprised he let her go.

She pushed aside the coverlet and pulled a small fox kit to her chest. She murmured quietly to him, brushing his hair with slender fingers. She continued until his nightmares calmed and he slept deeply once more. After tucking him under the covers, she walked back to stand in front of Hiei.

"Thank you. He has seen enough violence in his life already."

Hiei merely stared at the girl. Confused and irritated, he pointed his blade at the girl once more. Her shoulders slumped dejectedly. She sighed.

"I see. In that case…here."

The girl gripped the chain around her neck and silently slipped it over her head. She held out the slender chain and stood silently. Hiei stared at it suspiciously before reaching out and taking the chain from her outstretched hand.

A flickering stone shimmered in the scant light, suspended from the silver links. In the instant Hiei recognized the stone as his, his world turned upside down He stared uncomprehendingly at the stone, his mind ablaze with questions and accusations and random memories.

He lunged, pressing his katana against the girl's neck with enough force to draw blood.

"Who are you? How did you get this? Where did you get this? What are you scheming? Why are you returning this to me? What do you have to gain?"

The girl only smiled.

"I have nothing to gain nor am I scheming anything. Shippo, the fox child over there, found the stone floating in a river several days ago. After Miroku-sama told us what it was, we've been trying to find its rightful owner. I didn't know it was you until we met Youko and Kuronue yesterday."

Hiei added more pressure to his blade. The girl winced but made no other movement.

"I should kill you right now for lying to me."

"But she's not lying Hiei."

Hiei turned furiously, nearly slitting the girl's throat as he spun. Leaning casually against the shadowy doorway stood Youko. His cold golden eyes shifted dangerously between the blood on Kagome's neck and the blood beginning to dry on Hiei's katana. Kuroune slipped in past Youko and began to wrap Kagome's neck in clean white gauze.

"Are you all right Kagome?"

Kagome smiled, though the light did not reach her eyes. She patted Kuroune's arm in an attempt to reassure the jumpy bat demon.

"Of course I am Kuroune. Hiei and I have only had a small misunderstanding."

Kuroune glared at the hybrid over Kagome's head, his wings twitching angrily behind him. Kagome was too special to be killed over Hiei's petty judgments. Even after one day, Kuroune was positive of that.

"That had better be all this is, Hiei."

Hiei glanced furiously between the occupants of the room. This was supposed to have been simple. This was supposed to have ended in five minutes. This was not going the way he had planned at all!

He saw the way that Youko and Kuroune held themselves and knew instinctively that they would kill him if he made another attempt on the girl's life now. He silently sheathed his blade and left in the same manner he had arrived.

Youko observed the open window for an instant before traveling to Kagome's side. Blood had begun to seep through the bandage Kuroune had placed on her neck only moments before. Youko pulled a small slender seed from his hair, pushing his youki through the infant plant. It grew quickly, morphing into a moss-like plant spotted in yellow and blue. Youko removed the gauze and pressed the plant to her wound.

"Hold this on the wound for now. It will stop the bleeding."

Kagome nodded silently.

Kuronue and Youko watched the girl carefully. She had started shaking since Hiei had left. They led her carefully out of the room and down the stairs. They pulled her into a large kitchen where a large kettle hummed merrily over an open fire.

Kuroune set Kagome down on a narrow stool, holding her shoulder in an attempt to steady her as she sobbed quietly into his chest. Youko poured the contents of the kettle into three small cups and passed them to the other occupants of the room while he sipped his own. Kagome sipped the mixture and jumped in surprise.

"What is this Youko? It's so sweet."

Youko smiled, pleased that she liked it. It had taken him centuries to perfect.

"It's a special tea I've created to soothe the troubled mind. I'm glad you approve."

Kagome smiled and quickly proceeded to drain her cup. She leaned back into Kuroune, taking comfort in the warmth of his body behind hers. Youko's ears twitched, slightly miffed that the bat demon was so close while he was not.

"What exactly happened between you and Hiei?"

Kagome leaned further into Kuroune. She sighed, wishing she could delay the tale until she was of better mind.

"He came to kill me."

Kuroune and Youko looked at each other in surprise. One thing they had learned, if nothing else, during Hiei's stay with them, was that Hiei was nothing if not efficient and his intended victims always died.

"Then how…why?"

"I don't know Youko…but one thing I have learned from my encounters with the more powerful youkai is never to run and never to show fear. It only serves to infuriate them further."

Kuroune nodded. This was very true. Often, this one fact was the only thing that killed many an ignorant human or lesser demon. He was oddly pleased that Kagome was not ignorant.

Kagome yawned widely, covering her mouth with a delicate, pale hand. Her eyes drooped considerably, though she tried to keep them open. Youko grinned and scooped Kagome into his arms.

"Ah yes, I forgot to mention this tea acts as a sedative for humans, especially little mikos who ought to still be in bed."

Kagome swatted tiredly at Youko's head.

"I'll get you…in the morning…you…you…"

Kagome fell asleep before she could finish her threat and Youko silently carried her up to her room to rest for the remainder of the night. He and Kuroune would stay up and guard her from any further attacks.

Somehow, this miko had found a fixture in their lives…and Youko could not find it in his heart to regret it.


	6. The Window

**I'm SO sorry this has taken me so long to update. I've been slowly adding chapters to the rest of my stories but just can't seem to find the time to finish any of them, including this one. However, I just finished (YAY!) so I'm posting as soon as possible.**

Kagome woke slowly. Her mind was sluggish, tired, and her limbs did not seem to want to move. They were heavy, almost hot. When she opened her eyes, she instantly discovered why.

"YOUKO!"

The silver fox flinched delicately, his clawed hands slamming instantly over his sensitive ears. He closed one eye dramatically, feigning agony. Kagome didn't buy it.

"What the hell were you doing? If I find out you did anything inappropriate-"

The snickering behind her made Kagome pause in her ranting. She shifted, not quite turning her back on the kitsune beside her. Kuroune was sitting cross-legged on a lush armchair several feet away with a rather devious smirk on his handsome face. He leaned forward, propping his chin on his fist.

"Now Kagome, whatever makes you think that Youko would do anything _inappropriate_?"

Kagome scoffed. She glared at the demon perching next to her, studiously ignoring the halo poised above his ears.

"Because Kuroune, he is _Youko Kurama, _the great kitsune. I've heard the stories. All he has to do is look at a woman and she falls at his feet. Of course, I think that might be from the smell but then again…"

Youko balked at the accusation, crossing his arms angrily. He glared at the smirking miko before turning toward his laughing partner. He stood abruptly, nearly plopping the still sleeping Shippo on the floor. Kuroune stopped laughing when he saw the murderous look in Youko's eyes.

"Now, calm down Youko. Youko, you don't want to kill me. I'm your best buddy. You'll regret it, I promise you. Youko!"

Kuroune was suddenly buried under ten layers of sheets and at least twenty pillows with a smirking fox perched on top of the pile. He punched the squirming bundle beneath him, smiling at the gaping miko.

"So, what do you say my dear? Shall we go down to breakfast and leave this fruit bat up here to fend for himself?"

"I noff a foo ba!"

Youko's grin only grew wider.

"What was that, fruit bat? I couldn't quite understand you."

"I faid…I'm not a fruit bat!"

With that, Kuroune broke free of the confining sheets and locked Youko in a chokehold. The two wrestled back and forth for a few seconds before crashing into a table. Kagome giggled, scooping up Shippo and silently escaping into the hallway.

She turned around the corner and descended the stairs. At the bottom, she turned right and pushed open a heavy oak door that she was sure led to the kitchen. Rather, she found herself standing in the middle of an enormous garden. Flowers of every shape and color imaginable spewed from the soil and a sprawling weeping willow swayed softly in the morning breeze, illuminated only by the golden sun as it rose from behind the mountains.

She gasped in wonder. Shippo, now wide awake darted up to reside on her shoulder. Kagome stepped forward slowly, reverently, as if afraid that a single wrong move would make this dream garden disappear forever.

She turned slightly and froze instantly. In the middle of the garden, there was a shining, shimmering waterfall that fell into a gleaming pool of clear water. In the center of the pool stood the most lifelike statue she had ever seen. A single golden fox perched majestically on top of a rock ledge, its fur rustling in an unseen wind. Its coal black eyes seemed to watch her every move. It slightly unnerved her.

Kagome felt an odd tingle at the back of her neck. She knew that feeling almost as well as the feel of a jewel shard. There was a demon nearby.

"Hiei, I know you're there. You are welcome to join us if you want."

When Kagome didn't get a reply, she turned silently back toward the castle. Shippo pulled her hair gingerly.

"Okaa-san, who's Hiei?"

Kagome smiled at the curious kit, ruffling his hair gently. He scowled fiercely, trying to put his wayward locks back in place.

"Just a friend I met yesterday. Now run along inside. I'll be there shortly."

Shippo glanced anxiously between Kagome and the suddenly ominous garden before deciding to listen to her. He slipped in through the open door and continued on to the kitchen. After all, he was hungry! They never had gotten to eat dinner yesterday.

Kagome sighed. She stepped up toward the door as well, pausing at the opening.

"You know Hiei, you don't have to be alone."

Hiei scowled at the woman as she stepped through the door. What did she know of his life? She had no right to say something like that. She didn't! He should have slit her throat when he had the chance because now… now, damn it, he was curious.

So he watched her. He watched her fight with Youko, spar with Kuroune, and play hide and seek with the kitsune child. He watched her stare angrily at a book full of odd symbols before stomping away in frustration. He watched her dance without a care in the world and he watched her staring at the moon as the tears rolled down her ivory cheeks.

Slowly, as he watched her, his curiosity grew and changed. It had altered, slowly but surely, into a feeling he hardly recognized: respect. He had come to respect the strange girl who now stood gazing solemnly out her window, the wind caressing her cheek with its whisper touch.

"Aren't you cold, Hiei? It's freezing out there."

Hiei scoffed, slightly miffed that she had managed to locate him from his perch in the tree beside her room.

"Pitiful human, the cold does not affect me."

Her expression faltered. Hiei felt the odd urge to comfort her only for an instant before he smothered it in cold indifference.

"No, I suppose it wouldn't. Would you like to come in anyway?"

Hiei faltered. Had she just-? No one had invited him into their home since, well, since Youko and Kuroune had taken him in all those years ago. He stood warring with himself, fire and ice, hatred and comfort, suddenly angry with the woman who had opened all these strange emotions.

"And if I don't?"

The woman shrugged.

"It is up to you. You may do whatever you desire. Simply know that my window is always open if you want a place to stay."

She stood at the window for a few more minutes, gazing silently at the tree that held the hybrid. She sighed when he didn't respond, turning away and slipping into bed. Yet, true to her word, the window remained open.

Hiei stared at the square of light. He scoffed before turning away, unaware of the small chip that had been made in the wall around his heart.


	7. Fraternizing with the Enemy

Kaede sighed, watching the Inu-Tashi through weary eyes. Ever since Kagome and Shippo had disappeared a month ago, the group had become increasingly restless. Inuyasha ventured out on his own more and more often. Sango and Miroku fought with growing intensity and Kilala spent many hours gazing into the distant horizon, attempting to ignore the chaos around her. If Kagome did not return soon, Kaede feared that she would have nothing left to return to.

"If ye do not stop this bickering at once, I shall be forced to ask thee to leave this hut immediately."

Inuyasha spun toward the elderly miko, his amber eyes glowing fiercely in the dancing firelight. Those eyes were tired and heavy. They carried within them the fear of loss and loneliness, the fear of losing a dear friend. His shoulders sagged and his ears drooped. Even his immaculate silver hair had lost its bounce. Everything about Inuyasha screamed that if Kagome was not found, he might as well stop living.

Kaede shrugged off the hanyou's words, well aware that he missed Kagome more than he cared to admit and that it was making him more…oh, what was the word Kagome used? Snappy. It was making him snappy with everyone.

"Nevertheless Inuyasha, bickering will not bring Kagome and Shippo back any faster. Ye must be patient."

"Patient? They've been missing for a MONTH! I'll be surprised if they haven't gotten themselves eaten by now!"

Miroku shifted, drawing the group's focus away from the disgruntled hanyou for the moment.

"Now, now Inuyasha. I am sure they are both fine. After all, Kagome-sama's ability with her bow has improved immensely and Shippo has his fox magic. They are probably just lost somewhere."

Sango and Kilala glanced at each other dubiously. Despite what the monk was saying, they were both worried about the pair. Of all of them, Kagome and Shippo were the least able to defend themselves against the harsh realities of the feudal era and three months was a long time. Still, they realized that Miroku was attempting to calm Inuyasha, who grew extremely fidgety and irrational whenever anything that endangered Kagome was even hinted at.

"Feh. That wouldn't surprise me in the least. That wench is always getting herself lost."

Inuyasha stood abruptly and turned toward the door. His back straightened in an attempt to stay strong.

"I'm going to check by the well again…just in case."

Once Inuyasha's silver hair vanished through the doorway, those remaining sighed finally allowing their weariness to show. Sango picked up Hiraikotsu and began to polish the bone weapon. Kilala joined Kaede to go outside and gather herbs and Miroku stared into the fire, his violet eyes crinkling in worry.

"I hope you are okay Kagome-sama."

"So, the miko is missing. Quite a delightful turn of events wouldn't you say, Kanna?"

The albino child merely stared into the mirror indifferently, unaffected by her master's amusement. Inuyasha was leaping through the trees, searching for his missing friend. Even she could tell he was wearing out which, in the end, would do nothing but make it easier for Naraku to destroy him.

"Hmm. Now, I believe it's about time for us to introduce Inuyasha to your brother. I wonder how they'll get along…"

Kanna allowed her mirror to fade, the image of Inuyasha morphing slowly, surely, until all that could be seen was a single pair of malicious, glowing eyes.

"Youko! Kuroune! Where'd you go?"

Kagome wandered the halls, checking among the shadows for her missing companions. They had been disappearing quite often lately usually returning with some trinket or other, no doubt stolen. Well, as much as it irritated her that the two bandits were stealing from people, she supposed there wasn't really much she could do about it. After all, they were grown demons (grown male demons) with a stubborn streak that rivaled her own. She paused in her meanderings, staring sadly out the nearby window.

She missed her friends. She missed her family. They all probably thought she was dead…or worse.

"What are you thinking of onna?"

Kagome smiled, her mind caught between irritation at the name and happiness for seeing the one who had spoken it.

"The name's Kagome, _demon_. And I was thinking about my friends. They all probably think I've gotten myself killed by now."

"Hnn."

Kagome smiled, caught between nostalgia for the familiar reply and missing the one who so often did such replying.

"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if I come back to Kaede's village and there's a memorial set up for me. Flowers and everything. There will be people who stand there all day crying that I'm dead and gone when I'm really just lost. There will be a huge celebration when I get back with food and balloons and party favors…"

Hiei stood stonily next to the rambling miko, content for the moment to listen to her speak. Even so, he was growing more and more confused the longer she spoke and it was beginning to irritate him.

"Onna, what on earth is a 'balloon'?"

"And then-huh? Oh it's this rubber thing that you blow into and it floats up in the air. It's usually big and colorful and you can make animals out of them and…oh hello Youko."

The silver fox was standing stiffly in the doorway, his hand clenching a red rose that was flickering between flower and deadly weapon. He glanced back and forth between the pair by the window and, sensing only curiosity (and mild irritation) from Hiei, slowly replaced his weapon.

"So, what is my favorite little miko up to? Not fraternizing with the enemy is she?"

Kagome huffed, crossing her arms indignantly.

"We are NOT fraternizing Youko, although I'm sure you'd love to see that wouldn't you. Besides, Hiei isn't the enemy."

Youko observed the lack of distance between the hybrid and miko and the subtle turn of his body whenever she moved. No, Hiei wasn't her enemy…not anymore. This could prove very entertaining. After all, it was about time the headstrong demon found someone who could put up with his attitude. Maybe, he just needed a little push. Youko zipped forward, suddenly appearing right appearing right between the pair. He reached out and grasped each of them by their shoulders, pulling them as close together as he dared.

"Now now, I was only referring to the little misunderstanding at the beginning of your relationship…but as it seems that you two lovebirds have cleared everything right up, perhaps you wouldn't mind if I joined you?"

Kagome began spluttering, her face doing a rather impressive imitation of a tomato. Hiei ducked out of Youko's hold, grasping his sword and pointing it right at the laughing fox. Youko went momentarily cross-eyes looking at the tip before laughing again, quickly pulling Kagome into giggles as well. Growling at the lack of affect, Hiei sheathed his blade and jumped out the window. Idiot fox. Idiot woman. He was not to be laughed at or fooled with and yet the pair of them had been doing quite a lot of that lately and somehow been getting away with it.

Ridiculous.

Kagome slowly brought her laughter under control, wiping away the tears that had collected on her cheeks. She smiled at Youko, glad for his company.

"Youko, I-"

"You'd like to go back, wouldn't you?"

Kagome nodded.

"I need to. I have a mission to complete."

Youko nodded. Both he and Kuroune had known that she would be leaving soon and though he was reluctant to let her, she needed to return.

Kagome paused, baffled by the fox. She had been almost positive that it would be as hard if not harder to convince Youko to allow her to go than it was to get Inuyasha to let her through the well. Well, she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth so she quickly hugged the startled fox and left to go tell Shippo. Youko smiled at her retreating back before glancing out the window, his face completely serious.

"Don't let her go Hiei. You'll regret it forever if you do."


End file.
